Tyson Dewey fills many needs, if not stat sheets, with the plays he makes for Lakes. ‘He affects games in every way.’

Lakes’ stat sheet is rarely where Tyson Dewey’s contributions can best be found.

But by watching the senior guard maneuver between both ends of the court, it’s clear Dewey is instrumental to the Eagles’ success this season.

“I may not necessarily score the most points or get the most rebounds,” he said. “But leading us to get stops on defense, whether that’s taking charges or getting steals, or on offense, being aggressive, playmaking, getting assists for my teammates, or getting a bucket, those are the best ways I can contribute to my team.”

That’s a mouthful for Dewey to tick off, but he typically does them all. That he mentions scoring last says a lot about his priorities in helping ensure that the Eagles (11-4, 4-0) keep rolling as Northern Lake County Conference play heats up.

“That’s just how I’ve always taken pride in playing,” he said. “Little stuff adds up in helping a team win.”

That has become commonplace this season. Lakes won its ninth straight with a 73-28 conference victory against North Chicago on the road on Saturday. As usual, Dewey made a big impact.

In the first quarter alone, Dewey passed up a contested midrange jumper to kick out to senior guard Cade Primack for the first of Lakes’ 10 3-pointers, coasted through traffic in transition for a gliding layup and forced two travel calls by cutting off ballhandlers’ paths to the basket.

“He affects games in every way possible,” Lakes coach Chris Snyder said. “He’s a kid you would want every player in your program to emulate because all he does is make winning plays.”

True to form for Dewey, there wasn’t a lot to show in the scorebook after Saturday’s game. He had four points, four assists and three rebounds. Besides the layup, his only other scoring came on two free throws after beating three North Chicago players for an offensive rebound and drawing a foul.

“That’s just me being an athlete,” he said. “Being a football player and using my athleticism is a strong part of my game — using explosiveness to take it to the rim, being quick on my feet. I think that helps me a lot in basketball.”

Some of the skills Dewey references definitely translate to basketball from football. He was one of the area’s top receivers this past season, when he had 56 catches for 491 yards and three touchdowns. He also scored on two of his 11 kickoff returns. He is Lakes’ all-time career leader with 93 receptions.

Dewey recognizes his stature as a leader in both sports, and the laid-back manner in which he reaches those teammates comes naturally.

“He’s not a big talker and leads more by showing, but kids definitely follow him,” Snyder said. “He has a swagger about him.”

Count junior guard Drew Bowen among those who observe how Dewey comports himself. The lessons Bowen learns this season help create habits that allow players like him to step into bigger roles as a senior.

“Him being such a good student is something I try to follow,” Bowen said. “He’s always trying to pick up his teammates, especially on the lower levels, and does so in a really encouraging way.”

Dewey’s classroom achievement Bowen referenced has resulted in two recent honors. Dewey, who has a 4.4 GPA, was named an Illinois State Scholar, and he also received recognition from the College Board for his scores on AP Biology and AP U.S. History exams.

Dewey said he expects academics to drive his eventual college choice but hopes to find a destination where he can also continue his athletic career.

For now, he’s immersed in helping Lakes stack up more wins.

“Seeing your teammates happy and everyone smiling on the court together, that’s the ultimate,” Dewey said. “We’re all focused and not stressed out, just out there having fun playing basketball.”

Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.